


Every Moment, Beyond Words, Every Day

by idra



Series: 28 Days of Love [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 00:37:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14249277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idra/pseuds/idra
Summary: Tony walks into the coffee shop, not expecting his whole life to change.





	Every Moment, Beyond Words, Every Day

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt for this fic is Live, Love, Laugh (which is where I got the title of the fic as well).

The first time they meet, Tony is eighteen and has just graduated from MIT with two PhD’s in Engineering and Mathematics. He’s still one of the shortest people in his friend group, but it doesn’t bother him much. Steve is fifteen and barely passing his Geometry and Chemistry classes. He’s shorter than Tony-- barely reaching five feet tall, and skinny as a beanpole. But he’s working in the coffee shop because he needs the money. His mom is sick all the time anymore, so someone has to pay the bills.

Tony tilts his sunglasses down his nose, peering over the tops as he takes in Steve. “What’ll ya have?” Steve asks, raising an eyebrow as the guy on the other side of the counter continues to stare at him.

Pushing the sunglasses back up his nose, Tony smiles. “Well, Steve,” he says after peering at Steve’s nametag. “I will have the largest cup of coffee you have, two shots of vanilla syrup and a splash of cream. Also, one of the blueberry muffins, and your phone number.” 

“Very funny, jerk,” Steve says, rolling his eyes as he begins making Tony’s coffee. “You want your muffin warmed up or no?” 

“Yes, please.” Tony raises an eyebrow. He waits until Steve slides the go cup across the counter, along with the muffin in the bag before he drops a twenty on the counter. “Keep the change, sugar. I’ll be back.” 

Only... Tony doesn’t come back. Not in a few days, not in a few weeks, not in a few months. His dad pulls him into the company and sends him to Malibu to take control of the West Coast operation with Obie as his second in command. Tony is twenty-one when he gets back to the east coast and he’s only there because his father has had a heart attack. He’s just come from visiting his father, who is awake and as much of an asshole as ever who says he needs to get back to the west coast. He decides he needs coffee before he goes back to Malibu, so he heads for the coffee shop in Brooklyn. Besides the cute barista that worked there, it had been really good coffee and the muffin was amazing.

He walks through the doors and raises an eyebrow. Instead of the tiny little ball of fury that had been the counter, there is a Greek god standing there, smiling at the girl at the counter. Tony licks his lips. He’s disappointed that Steve no longer works at the café, but at least there’s some nice eye candy to order his drink from. “Hello, handsome,” Tony says as he steps up to the counter. “Can I get a large coffee, two shots of vanilla--”

“And a splash of cream? You wanna warmed muffin this time too?” 

“Uhm. Yeah. Do I know you?” 

The barista rolls his eyes and starts on the drink. “It’s been three years, but I didn’t realize you really didn’t pay attention to people who serve you. Guess I shoulda known.” 

“Steve?” Tony eyes the nametag-- the same nametag with the same stupid smiley face sticker on it. “Holy fuck. Three years have been really kind to you.” 

“Wish I could say the same about you.” Steve sets the drink down. “Lemme get your muffin.” 

“I... Sorry. Just you’re a good foot and a half taller and at least a hundred and twenty pounds heavier.” Tony pulls out his wallet. “How much do I owe you?” 

Steve sets the bag with a muffin in it next to the cup of coffee. “On the house, Mr. Stark,” Steve says, glaring. “Consider it payback for the tip last time.” 

“No, I...” Tony trails off as Steve turns away. He stuffs a twenty in the tip jar and frowns. “Thanks for the coffee and the muffin, Steve. I’m sorry for whatever it is that I’ve done to upset you.” He turns and walks out, prepared to forget all about the gorgeous barista that he’s been thinking about for the last three years. He rubs a hand over his face as he heads out to the car. “To the airport, Happy.”

“You okay, Boss?” 

“No. No, I’m not.” Tony slips on some shades and leans back in his seat, sipping at his coffee. 

~~~~~

It’s another five years before Tony gets back to the east coast. In that time, he’s been in more trash rags than he can count, and if he ever so much as glances at someone, he’s suddenly having sex with them, their mother, their siblings and their dogs according to the rags. He tries to keep out of the spotlight, and in fact spends more time in his lab than he does going out, even if that’s not how it looks.

Tony steps out of the limo and into the cemetery, frowning slightly. He spots a military funeral happening a few rows over, but he focuses on moving forward to his father’s gravestone. He runs a hand through his hair, glancing around. There’s no one here-- no one to be there with him when he buries his mother alongside his father. 

“Really? Do you just come to the city to stalk me?”

Tony looks up in time to see Steve looming over him. “Uh. What?” His voice sounds rough, even to himself. “I’m burying my mother. Why are you here?” He tries to clear his throat, but it just comes out a rough cough. 

“I... Fuck. I’m sorry.” Steve rubs a hand over his face. “I’m sorry. I just... I just buried my brother.” He gestures over to where the military funeral is breaking up. “I’m sorry about your mom. Sucks when you lose someone you love.” 

“Not sure I did,” Tony mumbles. “I mean, of course I did, but...” He sighs and glances over to where the priest is waiting for him. “I gotta go.”

Steve frowns and walks away. Tony watches him for a moment before he walks the rest of the way to his dad’s grave.

A few hours later, he finds himself in that same café, settled at a table as he talks with Pepper. “I mean it, Pep. I want you in charge of the Malibu plant. Now that we’ve gotten Obie ousted, I need someone I trust out there to take over for me while I try to clean up the shitstorm he left me with in New York. You are the only person I can trust with my company. Which, by the way, I want to be our company. Think about it, okay? I want to give you my Dad’s stock in the company. He had forty percent. My mom and I had fifty-nine, and one percent was Obie’s. So, I’ll give you his stock as well and take my mom’s and we’ll own the company, you and I.” He falls silent when Pepper doesn’t reply, not even glancing up when someone sets a cup and a plate in front of him. After a moment, he finally does look up, surprised to see Steve standing there. “Think about this, Pep. Please? Call me back when you decide.” He waits for her agreement before he gestures to the seat across from him. “Have a seat.” 

“I’m sorry about your mom. I’m also sorry about yelling at you in the cemetery. And for the way I acted when we last met.” Steve sits down, taking a sip of his own cup. 

“You still work here?” 

“No. Military. Army, actually.” Steve licks his lips. “It’s the only way I can afford college. Plus, my dad served and my grandpa... We’re a family of soldiers.” He shrugs. “My brother... well, he’s more my best friend. Was. He had just joined up when we met. That’s why I was such a shit to you that first time. I was worried about him.”

“I’m sorry about your brother,” Tony says, picking up his drink. “It sucks.”

“Yeah, it does.” Steve runs a hand through his hair. “So, any chance we could start over?” 

Tony smiles at him. “Hi. I’m Tony. I’m a business man, who pretty much just took over the family business. I’m technically a genius, I have three PhD’s from MIT, and I’m only twenty-six. I... I am somewhat famous and I hate it. I hate the attention and the fact that even when I just look at someone, I’ve suddenly fucked them, their siblings, their mothers, and their pets, according to all the rags out there. I haven’t even had sex with anyone in about seven years. Even with all the stories from people who say they’ve fucked me. And wow. That was so much more information than you ever needed to know.” 

“I’m actually kind of glad to hear it. I’ve seen you in the papers. I was pretty disappointed in you. Even if you were just screwing with me when we first met.” 

“Wait, what? Screwing with you? Are you talking about when I asked for your phone number?” 

“Yeah. I was hardly the guy that got people’s attention.” 

“Are you fucking kidding me? You were the cutest thing I’d ever seen at that point in my life. I was completely one hundred percent ready to pick you up and keep you forever. Seriously, I wanted you in ways I don’t remember ever wanting anyone. I mean, yeah, when I saw you... what? Three years later? You were absolutely the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, but I think I preferred you as the tiny little ball of fury you were when we first met.” Tony smiles.

“Tiny little...” Steve laughs, shaking his head. “Damn. We only met the once, but you got me. I was the angriest.” He shakes his head again. “Wow. Yeah. Anyhow. Hi. I’m Steve. I was once the tiniest thing you’d ever imagine, full of fury and always ready to fight. I... am not a genius. I barely have a college degree and only because of ROTC training. I want to be an artist-- I draw and paint.”

“I know nothing about art, but I bet you’re amazing.” Tony smiles. “So... Can I buy you dinner?” 

Steve flushes a little. “You really wanna go out with me? Aren’t you worried what people would say about you dating a soldier?” 

“Honestly, Steve, I don’t give a fuck what other people say about me. I don’t want you hurt by the things they say, but no. I want to date you. I’ve wanted to date you since I was eighteen and first walked in this place.” 

Steve laughs again and nods. “Well, hell. Let’s make it an official date. I mean if you still want to.” He blushes a little.

“Oh. I want to. I will never want to stop dating you if we start, just so you know.” 

“When do you wanna go and where?” Steve licks his lips.

“Anywhere with you.” 

~~~~~

Ten years pass, and Steve finds his way back into the coffee shop, Tony by his side, and their youngest son, James, settled on his hip. Their oldest, Peter is walking by Tony’s side and their middle child, Isabella, is between Tony and Steve, holding onto their pants’ legs. 

Steve glances over at Tony as Tony tells the children the story of how they met and he can’t help but laugh a little at Tony’s exaggerations. Tony gets to the part about their last meeting in this coffee shop and Steve reaches over and squeezes Tony’s hand. It’s been a long, strange trip for the two of them, full of living, loving, and laughing and Steve wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> I did better at getting this out before another month went by. Yay?


End file.
